Warning: following paragraphs may contain spoilers!!!

The story took me a while to get through being it was so intense in raw emotion but I the end I was rewarded. I have never read anything quite like it nor is it likely I shall again. 

Sure I’ll admit that I was upset that Liga’s fate did not entwine with Brandon’s, yet that wouldn’t have fit right with the rest of the story. It would have been a perfect ending, but just that– too perfect. Too perfect for the tone of the novel. 

I beg to differ in your opinion o the ending. It wasn’t the most satisfying an left you wondering, but not in a good sense. I felt a connection to Liga but it was incomplete at the end. All that aside, the ending was well. Liga didn’t get her fairytale ending but is happy for her two marvelous daughters. That their life has evened out to what they deserve and that they didn’t have to endure all she had. Liga had gone from feeling like an insignificant piece of scum to feeling worthwhile. Worthwhile in having brought up two caring daughters to better the world. 

I fully recommend this book to anyone of any age (welllllll… Maybe not children under 13 for obvious reasons).

Adrienne – Well, with that kind of endorsement, how could I say resist? Good thing I have Rebel Angels on my TBR.

Thank you for presenting both “grades” for TENDER MORSELS. I find the double assessment a balanced & fair critique of an engrossing, yet simultaneously disappointing read.

I’m eager to see what you think of Tender Morsels…my own thoughts are pretty conflicted (hence the 8 and 4 rating!).

And hooray for Graceling! I loved it too. Katsa and Po are pretty awesome. I cannot wait to dig into its prequel/companion novel, Fire! Looking forward to your review

I plan on having the Graceling review ready for Saturday!

As for in/appropriateness for YA novels, well that’s a whole other discussion! Regardless of where anyone stands on the issue, I do think it’s a good thing for parents to interact with their children, including in the literary realm.

Alana – SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER It’s also ironic how annoyed I was when the author killed The Bear’s (his name has slipped my mind) wife only so we could have the ending we wanted. Then, when we didn’t get that ending, I was even more irritated.

EXACTLY! When she died in childlabor, I started rolling my eyes but was happy because I so desperately wanted Liga to be happy. But then, when she completely ripped that away in a “PSYCH!!!!!” ending… oh it bothered me something terrible.

/SPOILER

Adrienne – LOL, it was a very very tough review to write.

So are we talking emotional train wreck like Great And Terrible Beauty ending or worse?

In my opinion, it is much much worse than the ending of GATB (which was emotionally draining, but still captivated me – speaking of, I really should read the next book in the series already). If that ending was hard…I’d steer clear of this book then!

I hope that helps!

Kmont: I can understand what you’re saying, but it’s hard to nail down exactly why certain authors can write about sexual abuse or rape and why others can’t (in my own mind at least). What I liked specifically about this book, was the author’s honest look at incest and child molestation. Not only did she show that you can still be a good person if these things happen to you, but she also touched on the subject of sexual response in assault situations which I applaud her for since it is a much neglected side of abuse. (It’s hard reconciling the fact something so horrible can feel good to the body.)

But then the author tries to justify the rape of the men who raped Liga in the beginning of the story and I can’t accept that. Rape is wrong. It doesn’t matter if you’re a good person or a bad person. I may have more sympathy for an innocent 15 years old girl than I would a convicted rapist in prison, but that doesn’t make it any more acceptable. As long as rape is used as a tool of punishment and degradation, on anyone, it will always be a problem.